Life After
by WinterScorpion-18
Summary: A life as an actor always has an ending. But maybe, it's not as bad as others think…especially when they have each other to spend their lives with. DaiMao future-fic


Life After

A life as an actor always has an ending. But maybe, it's not as bad as others think…especially when they have each other to spend their lives with. DaiMao future-fic

Rated: Fiction T - English - Romance/Family

Disclaimer: Dai-niichan and Mao-nii are their respective selves. I don't own them, but maybe they own each other, or something like that :3 I made this story out of a friends' suggestion. Yeah~ thank you Yue~ :)

The night has fallen. Everything has started to darken. Yes, she had successfully run away. Looking around her, she recognized the place to be the university where she's studying. No one is around, everyone has gone home and the sadness and hurt that she's feeling grows inside her.

She felt the tears fill her eyes and she quickly blinked them away, squeezing her brown-colored orbs closed. She came home earlier hearing the loud, incensed, arguments of her parents. It was always like that. It was the same scene every day. Shouldn't she be used to it already? she asked herself. She should have learned from now that crying about it again wouldn't help at all. And yet…

Willing herself to stop, she decided to sit on a nearby bench. 'This would do.' she tried to convince herself. Her friends would, of course, be willing to help her out, but not wanting to bother them with her problems, she decided not to ask for their help. And so she settled down to sleep, ignoring the coldness of the night, praying that it wouldn't rain.

Thirty minutes have just passed when she felt something prickling hard on her skin. 'Rain!?' with that she woke up to find out that she is in the middle of a heavy downpour, which soaked her clothes up to her bones and made her long, jet-black hair stick to her ice-cold skin.

Needing to shade herself, she immediately grabbed her bag and run to the nearest shelter. Her body trembles uncontrollably. She is wet and perfectly miserable. Thankfully her bag is waterproof; this means that her notes and books are perfectly safe inside it. Sneezing, she hugged her bag close to her body treasuring the little warmth that it shares to her.

"Shoukatsu?" She is in the process of falling asleep again when she suddenly heard her name being called. Peering between her arms into the rain, she saw an unfamiliar black car. She knows that voice! And while she thinks of whom its owner was, the person went out of the car with a big umbrella to approach her.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"W-Watanabe-sensei?" she asked, before coughing, cheeks shaded in a bright pink.

"What are you doing here?" the professor said instead, shading her in his umbrella before looking up and down at her worriedly. "The classes ended early today and with this rain..."

"A-anou…" Shoukatsu hides her face by looking down, feeling very embarrassed having to explain her situation to her professor. "My parents are fighting and I really don't w-wa-HACHOO!" she suddenly sneezed and shook violently, shivering when a cold blast of air passed them by, feeling half-frozen.

The older man quickly removed his coat covering the poor child. "Let's go! We better bring you out of this cold. I don't want my best student to get sick."

"S-Sensei...arigatou~"

"Dou ita." Watanabe Daisuke answered, smiling at his student.

Together, they hurried to the parked car. It's a nice car, simple yet it managed to give off an air of class. Shoukatsu made sure to sit in the littlest place possible so she wouldn't get anything on the rich, upholstered black leather. That didn't go unrecognized and in a second her professor was able to produce a big, fluffy towel.

"Here use this." He gave it to his still shivering student, who took it gratefully. "Dry yourself so you can be comfortable." Then he faced forward and worked with the dashboard controls. With that, a warm air filled the car, making Shoukatsu feel better.

She quickly pressed the towel against her, fingers mildly shaking as she wiped off the water clinging to her body. She set her bag on the floor and wrapped the towel around her neck, cringing a bit at her still wet clothes. She watched the older man shift the stick in gear, the car starting forward, exiting the University campus.

"Feeling better now?" Watanabe Daisuke asked smiling softly at his student.

"H-hai. A-anou, Watanabe-sensei…"

"Yes?"

"Where are we going?"

"You don't have anywhere to go, am I right?" The professor asked and seeing her nod he continued, "So we're going to my house."

'Oh...' Shoukatsu gaped at her professor for a moment and the older man didn't miss it.

"It's okay. You don't have to worry." He smiled again before focusing on his driving.

Shoukatsu feels really grateful at her professor. She wouldn't have known what to do if the man didn't help her. Maybe she's still on that small shelter, freezing under the gust of cold wind and rain.

Watanabe-sensei… Watanabe Daisuke is one of the teachers she had. He taught Japanese and History, and his courses were considered one of the most popular minor courses among the students. He was tall, with brown hair, a lean, muscled build and has kind brown eyes, which was usually hidden behind square, black-framed glasses during class. General opinion of him was that he's very handsome and knew his subjects very well, which made him one of the most coveted and sought after professors. This, of course, causes the freshmen and sophomores to take his subjects, most especially the female population, who would actually fight for a spot in his class.

But, despite of all of the professor's fame, his personal life was a mystery. And to think that she, Shoukatsu Keisuke, was going to see the professor's house for the first time…

As the car turned right, Shoukatsu looked outside just in time to see a two-story, detached house, simple in its colors of sky blue and white though it sure is big. It was a beautiful house, radiating warmth and the feeling of homeliness, and Shoukatsu found herself staring at the cobbled path that leads to the closed front door when the cars door was opened.

"Come. You don't have to be shy." Watanabe Daisuke said as he looked at his huddled student inside the car. Shoukatsu then went out to follow her professor to the door.

"Kyousuke, Roku, tadaima." The older man called out after unlocking the door, stepping into the foyer and leaving his briefcase at the side. He signal for his student to do the same, and Shoukatsu obliged, removing her shoes before stepping into the hallway, saying a small "Ojamashimasu".

"Dai-chan okairi!" A sweet voice greeted back, and the younger turned to the direction where it came from. There, a person came out to meet her professor, followed by a cute, cuddly, bouncing striped cat.

Shoukatsu can't help but look at the new person. She's very beautiful with her shoulder-length ebony hair. So angelic, with gentle-looking chocolate-brown eyes and a kind, loving smile intended for her teacher, who met her halfway to gather her into his arms and to press a kiss to her forehead. She giggled back, pressing a kiss to his lips in turn.

While watching the two, Shoukatsu failed to catch the sight of the cat which approached her. In turn, she wasn't able to hold the loud gasp from escaping her lips when the said fur ball brushed on her legs, which caught the others' attention.

"Oh, we have a guest?"

As the beautiful woman extracted herself from her professor's embrace to face her, Shoukatsu had to stop her eyes from rounding in surprise in disbelief.

Everyone in school knew that Watanabe-sensei was already married. It was asked by one of the student's when the professor told them on the first day that he is willing to answer some questions related to himself, as long as it wouldn't go beyond the set boundaries. The older man responded by smiling and raising his left hand, letting everyone see a beautiful silver ring with a small diamond on the middle glittering there, and the subject about relationship was closed. And so, everyone quickly and easily assumed that their professor had a wife.

They couldn't have been more wrong.

Their professor actually had a husband.

"Is there something wrong?" her professor's husband asked her as she continued to gape. The ebony-haired man looked at her in concern when she didn't answer, and gasped as he finally saw the state of the teen.

"You're soaked through! Quick, come with me." He went forward and lightly touched her arm.

"N-No, I'm-i-it's fine–!" she tried to assure the man, but the other wouldn't hear anything of it.

"Let's get you to the bathroom so you can take a warm bath and so that you wouldn't catch a cold. Dai-chan, love, can you go to Zaiki's room and see if he has some clothes that could fit her?" the man continued on and called out to his professor.

"Sure. No problem!" Watanabe-sensei answered and went upstairs, footsteps fading away.

The ebony-haired man gently pushed the teen inside the ground floor bathroom. Shoukatsu felt so shy, being taken care of a person she hardly knew, but she was grateful for it, accepting the help and entering the white bathroom without another word.

"The towels are over there, and I'll lay out the spare clothes here so you could get changed. By the way, I'm sorry but you have to use a boy's clothes instead. That's the only-"

"Ah! No! No it's okay. I mean, I... I shouldn't even be here. I'm sorry for being such a bother."

"That's not true! You're not bothering us so you shouldn't think like that. Anyway, put your wet clothes here in the hamper. I'll make sure that they'll be ready for tomorrow." The man smiled gently and showed her where she could find the toiletries, and finally left Shoukatsu alone.

After taking her bath, Shoukatsu exited the shower and put her wet clothes in the said place. Turning, she found the clothes laid out on the counter. It was a simple shirt and pants. Thankfully, even though it's bigger than what she normally wears, it doesn't fall off when she moves.

'It smelled nice. Smells like sweet chocolates…'Shoukatsu blushed when she found herself sniffing at the clothes. 'What the heck am I doing!?' she asked herself whilst shaking her head.

Fixed and feeling better, she willed herself to go out of the bathroom, following the sounds of voices she's hearing. It brought her to the dining room/ kitchen. Peeking inside but not proceeding, she found her professor leaning on the counter, smiling and chatting happily with his husband, as the other prepares some meal. Once, Watanabe-sensei reached out to brush something off his lovers' lips making the other blush under his loving gaze.

'They look so happy…so sweet and so perfect.' She thinks to herself as she continued to watch. She was amazed to see how comfortable and content the two look with how their lives are. Her professor who's normally clad in a formal suit is now wearing simple gray-colored long sleeves and black jeans making the man look a lot younger than his real age, while his lover wears loose pants under a white t-shirt and a red checkered apron, his long hair caught in a ponytail. 'I wonder if my parents can be like them… Is it still possible?'

Feeling the gaze upon them, Kyousuke turned his head and smiled at the shy student who stands just beside the door.

"I see you're already fixed. Let's eat?" He invited, chuckling when Shoukatsu immediately shook her head, not wanting to be more trouble than she was already.

"A-anou…I'm not really hungr-" her sentence was then cut by the growling of her stomach.

"…" Silence grew between them as the girl slowly turned red. Well not until…

"Meow!" a loud call from a hungry Roku has been heard. The three laughed then at the little guy. "Cute neko~"

"I see you're already hungry, ne Roku?" Kyousuke pet the cat's soft fur whilst sending Shoukatsu an inviting smile.

"Why don't you go and fetch her little guy?" Dai-chan said to the cuddly cat which immediately jump to the ground and went to Shoukatsu to pull at the girl's pants. Smiling at the very obedient Roku, Shoukatsu then carried the cat, amazed when she found out how big it really is, and take the seat offered to her by her professor, as Kyousuke get their plates.

They're having fun while eating. Their dinner isn't quiet, with Kyousuke and Dai-chan asking her this and that kindly and teasingly, and with praises for how delicious the food is, flying to Kyousuke. Roku contributes to some of their conversations too, meowing when food run out on his plate, making the others giggle towards his direction.

'Uwaah~ They really are so sweet...' Shoukatsu thought as she observed the two at the table, spoon-feeding each other the different dishes, making the younger which she finally knew as Kyousuke-san blush so much. "Mou~ Dai-chan~ I know how to feed myself~" Kyousuke said though it is visible that he's enjoying the gestures. "Just one more time. Say 'Ah!'" Dai-chan replied accompanying it with his puppy eyes that he knows the other can't resist. "Mou~ okay!" his husband smilingly complied, making the teen giggle silently to herself.

Kyousuke-san is a very warm and caring person, and her professor seemed so happy, blessed and contented when he was with his lover, a loving smile and look on his face as their eyes connects and their fingers touched each other on top of the dining table.

"Love, Zaiki is arriving tomorrow, right?" Dai-chan asked his spouse, looking at him questioningly.

"Uhm…Hai. He said he'll be at the airport by noon." the other answered with a nodding.

"Then I'll get him during my break." Dai-chan said which made his husband shook his head.

"Nope, I'll do it. Remember that you have a class after your break. You have to rest, at least for a minute or two before going back to work."

"But what about you? Aren't you going to be late in your meeting with your client?"

"Don't worry. I'll be fine, demo thanks for offering love." Kyousuke said leaning forward to kiss her professor's cheek, making the student blush, not quite sure if she is allowed to witness that.

"Ne Shoukatsu-chan, what is the course you're taking at school?" Kyousuke asked, turning at her side of the table, his eyes showing genuine interest.

"Anou…it's…"

"Yes?"

Shoukatsu was actually shy to answer the question. It's because of the fact that no one actually asked her about those kinds of things before other than her few friends at school.

"I'm taking Bachelor of Secondary Education, third year. Majoring in English." she smiled softly.

"That's nice." The chocolate-brown eyes were full of delight. "Even I decided to study the language when I was younger."

"Eh!? Sugoi!" Shoukatsu beamed.

"Hmn. I also went to New York to pursue my studies, taking interior designing course. Ne, does Dai-chan make it hard for you, your subject with him?"

"Mou love... why are you asking her that?" Dai-chan asked pouting playfully at his laughing husband.

"Ah iie, Kyousuke-san! Watanabe-sensei actually makes it easy for us to understand our topic." Shoukatsu assured the ebony-haired man. "He's a very good teacher. A lot of students enlist in his classes!"

"Hmm… I see, then." The man finally laughed out loud, eyes twinkling as he teased his spouse, "Dear, you never told me that you're so popular in the University."

"Not that much, love." he smiled, shaking his head lightly. "Anou… Kyou... sorry, but I have to finish some instructional materials and lesson plans tonight." The brown-haired professor said, finishing his dinner then standing up to approach his spouse and to kiss his hair. "I promise to do the dishes tomorrow."

"No it's okay, dear! Don't worry! I know how stressful your work is. I understand." he answered, then reached up and kissed him in the cheeks in return.

Seeing them finished, Shoukatsu quickly stood up as well, the cat following her example and going on his own way, while she gathered the plates together and piled them on top of the other. "Gochisousama deshita. I'll just clean up!"

"I'll bring you tea later then, Dai-chan. Oh, Shoukatsu-chan you don't have to do that! Just leave it there." Kyousuke-san waved a hand, also standing up, all of them having finished their food. "I'll take care of the rest." With a final wave to his husband, who went out of the room, he waited until the footsteps ascended and disappeared before going back to work.

"But Kyousuke-san–" The teenager tried to protest.

"It's all right." The man smiled. "I'll take care of things here. You make yourself at home. Why not go to the room where Roku went into?" His stare was kind, but clearly left no room for argument. So Shoukatsu went out of the dining room then proceed to go in the living room.

It was a big, cheerful and relaxing looking place, with Roku enjoying himself by lying in one of the carpet, looking up from his position to acknowledge her presence before going back to his nap. The room has a big sofa and arm chairs surrounding a coffee table which was adorned with a vase full of beautiful and sweet-smelling flowers, in the middle facing a massive complete entertainment system. Painting of blue skies, sunsets and nature hangs on the walls. And letting her eyes roam, she also found a shelf on the side of the room filled with framed photographs and some beautiful, fragile looking ornaments.

It took her a while to move, just staring inside the room. The room had an air of elegance, the furniture simple but tasteful. It was the first time she saw a room like that, and she can't help but wonder if her professor was actually rich.

She walked towards the shelves first, curious and interested in the things placed carefully inside it. There are magazines and certificates plus some trophies in the topmost shelf. Looking closely, she knew that it featured either her professor or his husband.

'A recognition for being best actors!? They were actors!? Ehhh!? Sugoi!' Shoukatsu said to herself, her eyes rounding in amazement.

With that, she turned her gaze to the shelf below, looking at the photographs, of what she assumed to be their family members plus some of Roku's too. There were formal family photos and some baby pictures that had the teen both laughing and cooing at the same time, finally recognizing one photo as her professor. 'Uwahh~ Watanabe sensei is sooo cute when he's a baby! Those chubby cheeks~ so squishy!' she laughs to herself.

She blinked in confusion as she saw another photo. It was a younger version of her professor with his husband and they were on either side of a person she never saw before. The person in the photo looked young, handsome, maybe about her age right now, with brown hair and brown eyes, bearing a startling likeness to her teacher. She studied the photograph more, finding that person once again with the two men in different occasions, a birthday party, a field trip, and one that she supposed as a graduation, with Kyousuke-san's arm around the younger male's shoulder and Watanabe-sensei by their side, his head resting against his lover while their hands are entwined. All of them are smiling and their faces shining with pride.

'Could this be sensei's younger brother?' But, strangely, she really didn't get that impression. In fact, they looked like…

… a family.

And as she looked through the photos again, it became clearer that maybe she's right. They looked so happy and so content in the photographs, spending time together in every important event as a complete family even though they were two men, something that was still seen by some as unacceptable and morally wrong. Once again she felt the bittersweet envy fill her, wanting to experience the same warmth and comfort of having parents who loved you and each other.

Shifting her eyes, Shoukatsu found the wedding photos right beside the family photos. All were adorned in silver frames. Her professor and his husband are wearing tuxedoes, the brown-haired in black, the ebony in white, smiling at each other and surrounded by the people they loved and loved them. The teenager couldn't help but take one of the photos to look at it closely, her fingers touching their faces, showing the time when they were exchanging rings, looking so deeply into each other's eyes that it seemed that there was no one in the world except the two of them. Her professor in the midst of slipping on the band to his spouse that promised eternal devotion, faithfulness and love for each other, through happiness and sorrow, through sickness and health, for richer and for poorer, till death do them part.

'I wonder where they could have married… Japan until now does not allow same-sex marriage and… well, the background look somewhat Western…'

"That was in New York." a kind voice spoke behind her, answering the floating question inside her head, and Shoukatsu nearly dropped the frame in shock, seeing Kyousuke-san inside the room, setting down a tray of drinks and chocolate treats on the coffee table before standing up and moving towards her. There was a fond look of nostalgia on his face as he looked back at his memories, before looking back at the younger teen to give her a warm smile.

"Go-gomenasai! I-I touched your pictures without permission!" Shoukatsu stuttered back, carefully returning the photo back on its place. "I didn't mean to, it's just I–!"

"No, its fine, I don't mind at all." Kyousuke-san waved off the apology, smiling and leading her to the couch, sitting beside her and busying himself with the snacks on the coffee table. "I see Roku decided to sleep in here. Sorry, this is the only thing I can prepare on such short notice." The man said a little apologetically, taking out the plate of brownies and the small pitcher of milkchoco drink with two glasses out of the tray and placing it down on the table. "If I had known you were coming, I would've prepared something better for you, Shoukatsu-chan."

"Hmn. You're right. He really is asleep now…Eh? I-It's all right! Hontou ni arigatou, Kyousuke-san, for this and everything!" Ah~ his professor's husband is so kind, so accommodating to her for even thinking of doing something better for her, when it's not even necessary. She had never experienced something like this before. It makes her want to cry.

Keeping her emotions inside, she looked around the room once again, expressing her fascination. "This is really a beautiful room, Kyousuke-san. And the paintings on the walls are so breathtaking. They almost look like the real thing." she said honestly.

"Thank you. I made them myself." he said blushing lightly, and then he leaned back and surveyed the room. "I actually designed this whole house myself, and this room is probably my most favorite apart from our bedroom." He said a little thoughtfully, not noticing the younger's agape look at him.

"W-Wow! Kyousuke-san, you're so talented!" Shoukatsu exclaimed out suddenly, unable to contain her awe, and instantly closed her mouth shut, her face turning into a shade of red. She didn't know anymore how many times she had blushed that night.

The man laughed and lightly ruffled her hair, making her smile shyly and blush even more at the warm and gentle touch. "You're so cute." There was a twinkle in the brown eyes as it winked at the flushed teen. "I'll just return this back to the kitchen, okay?" Kyousuke-san held the tray and stood up, leaving the room for a short while.

Shoukatsu let out the breath she didn't know she was holding, willing the redness of her cheeks to go away. Getting her bag on the armchair, she pulled out her assignments for the day, knowing that she needs to be on top of her studies. She was already working on her second subject when Kyousuke-san came back.

"You're really studious, Shoukatsu-chan." The ebony-haired man commented lightly, sitting on the other side of the table and watching her, making her blush a little, but still continued scribbling her answers, nevertheless, concentrating hard on her work.

"I can't afford to fail, Kyousuke-san. I might lose my scholarship." Shoukatsu hadn't meant to let that slip out, and bit her tongue when it did, looking abashed by that confession. The man, however paid it no mind, looking impressed, and that in it, made him feel more bashful.

"Sugoi! Then you're outstanding yourself! You're very smart." Kyousuke-san's tone clearly conveyed it. And it made her feel strangely proud to hear that from her professor's spouse, holding her pen more determinedly.

"Kyousuke-san, arigatou…" And she truly was for her parents had never praised her. They are more interested in fighting each other than being concerned for their daughter. It was through her hard work that she managed to secure a scholarship in Tokyo Univ. because she didn't want to rely on parents anymore, knowing that it might be another topic of their numerous fights. "…but I'm not that special."

"Iie, I think you are." Kyousuke-san leaned forward, resting his chin on his linked fingers as he smiled gently at Shoukatsu. The teen could hear the conviction and sincerity in his voice, filling her with familial warmth, and felt herself blushing again. She quickly looked away and turned back to the work sets the professors had given to them, and was dismayed to find that it wasn't an easy topic to answer. "Mou…"

"What subject is that?" Kyousuke-san asked curiously, taking a peek into the textbook, and nearly laughed out loud when he saw the topic. "It's history, isn't it?"

"Yes, about the Bakumatsu Period." Shoukatsu flipped the pages back, trying to look for a certain passage that would answer the current problem. "I just can't answer these questions without looking at the textbook!" She said in frustration, finally finding the name she was looking for and writing it down. History, she admitted to herself, wasn't her strong point. Memorizations of names, dates and places drove her crazy!

The man did laugh this time, amusement clearly seen in his face. "Want me to help you?" Kyousuke-san offered, smiling.

"H-hontou?" Surprised, she stared at the ebony-haired man, shocked at the fact that the man knew anything about her assignment in the first place. "I-Is it all right? I mean, if Watanabe-sensei sees you helping me…"

"It's all right. I may not know much about history, but I do know that the Bakumatsu Period became Dai-chan' s favorite era ever since he watched a play in which I was casted before as Okita Sōji."

"Ehh!? Hontou?"

"Hai. Just don't tell anyone about this, okay?" The man pressed a finger to his lips and winked back, making an unexpected giggle escape from Shoukatsu's lips.

And for the next hour, Shoukatsu did nothing but finish her History paper, being coached all throughout the session by the ebony-haired man, asking names, dates and moments with Kyousuke-san answering in the most precise and concise way that he could.

Shoukatsu was actually having fun, scribbling away, finding out more about her professor's spouse in the process, one of that is learning that Kyousuke-san's last name has been Hamao. With the other man's help she had been able to finish her paper faster than what she had thought, and was beaming as she set her pen down, actually feeling better now that she had accomplished it.

"Uwahh~! Thank you, Kyousuke-san!" She reviewed her paper again, making sure that she had made no mistakes before holding it up and beaming. "You saved me!"

"It's no problem." Kyousuke-san looked like that he was enjoying the smile that spread through the teen's face, chuckling on how childlike she looked.

"Kyousuke-san…you're really nice just like Watanabe-sensei. You know what? He… He saved me from sleeping on a bench tonight." Shoukatsu said, staring at her hands, remembering the kindness her professor and his spouse had showed her when she was invited to their home and was treated so warmly that she almost felt like a part of their family. It was a nice feeling, one that the teen wanted to cherish and appreciate forever, and almost felt sad because it wouldn't last that long. "I could never thank you two enough, Kyousuke-san and Watanabe-sensei. I… I've never really experienced something like this before." She could feel something wet and hot run down her cheeks, and yet she didn't want to stop it, her vision blurring as tears made their presence known. "I-I really– I can't– I just wanted to–" she tried to say, choking, but the words just wouldn't come out.

"It's all right, Shoukatsu-chan." She felt a hand on her cheek and looked up, seeing the ebony-haired man smile at her so gently and tenderly that it made another well of tears, closing her eyes as a warm thumb brushed over her eyelids. "You don't have to say anything." Kyousuke-san looked so understanding, so empathic, that she felt like a child being comforted by her mother and she wanted nothing more than to bury her face into the other man's arms and just cry her frustrations away.

But perhaps, Shoukatsu thought as she managed to stop herself and give a shaky, watery smile at the man, that Kyousuke-san knew what was happening all along.

"Tell you what, Shoukatsu-chan." Her head was tilted up, and looked into chocolate-brown eyes that held a bright smile and a sincere promise. "Whenever you feel a little suffocated, you could always come here and spend the night with us." The ebony-haired man said, smiling in that motherly way of his that didn't fail to spread a tingle of warmth in her chest.

"I don't mind, and I'm sure that Dai-chan wouldn't mind either. I'll be your History tutor if you need an excuse." He added with another mischievous wink. It was said like a request, leaving her with a choice to deny or accept if she wanted to.

And Shoukatsu couldn't find it in herself to refuse.

"I-I'd like that, Kyousuke-san." She nodded and smiled back, a gasp turning into a little hiccup, and soon enough she was laughing as she clung on to the other man, feeling a hand ruffle her hair. She felt giddy and relieved, stabilized now that she had somewhere to return to and someone who was willing to take care of her. And for the next hour they stayed like that, laughing and giggling and exchanging stories with one another as the teenager's homework was done, the food slowly dwindled away, only a few brownies' crumbs left on the plate and the milkchoco drink was reduced to a quarter of a pitcher.

It was that scene in which the Watanabe-sensei walked into, making his eyebrow rise in slight question and suspicion when the two looked up at him and started another round of laughter.

"I do hope that you two weren't talking about me right now." He said as he looked from one innocent face to another, not believing it for a second.

"How can you say that, Dai-chan? Of course we weren't." Kyousuke-san answered in a completely unassuming tone and stood up, sharing a mutual secretive look with the teen and grinning cheekily at the disbelieving look his husband gave him.

"Mou~ Kyousuke, I can't have my spouse saying inappropriate things about me to my student. I need to maintain my reputation, after all." Dai-chan said while slightly pouting, his tone filled with fondness, mixed with mild exasperation, automatically wrapping an arm around the ebony-haired man's waist when the man laughed and pressed a quick peck to the taller man's cheek, pressing his own to the professor's shoulder. "Is your work done already, dear?" the younger asked, softly touching the other man's face, wiping the tiredness in there.

"Not yet, love. I'll finish it in a bit. I'll just take a short break." Seeing the school materials on the coffee table, he gave an approving nod and a smile to the teen before exchanging a few more words with his spouse, low enough so that the teen wouldn't hear, who was watching the exchange with wide, interested eyes.

Even if they were both men, Shoukatsu knew that they fit each other perfectly, like two jigsaw puzzles that completed the big picture. She couldn't explain it, but she knew that she would never be able to see Watanabe-sensei with anyone else rather than Kyousuke-san, and vice-versa. It was as if the universe really conspired to get the both of them together, biological gender issues aside.

Somehow, it looked so wrong if she would imagine either of them with a woman, and seeing her professor without his spouse was just… lacking. They were meant for each other, and it was blindingly obvious to her that they really did love each other very much, despite everything, and it would take a lot of effort to drive them both apart from each other. They were almost seemingly unconscious of their gestures towards each other, the lingering touches, and quick but meaningful glances, the way that they looked at each other as if the other person was the center of their universe.

Shoukatsu found something in that notion very sweet and awe-inspiring at the same time, reddening a bit while she watched them and looking away quickly, as if she had walked in on a very private and intimate moment between them.

She hoped that, in the future, she'll also find a love like theirs.

"Shoukatsu-chan?" she heard her name being called and so she looked back, to see that her professor and his spouse was already done talking and that the taller man had disappeared, most likely to refill his cup before resuming his work. "When you're done with your work, you could take the spare bedroom upstairs. Its usual occupant is out tonight and I'm sure that he wouldn't mind someone sleeping on his bed." Kyousuke-san offered, chuckling at the thought, making the other shake her head quickly, her face paling a little at the thought of sleeping comfortably as well. Their kindness was just too much for her to take, and she might start crying again if it would continue.

"No, please Kyousuke-san! You've done so much for me already! I can't possibly take a bed that isn't mine!" She spoke hurriedly, trying to put a determined tone in her voice. She knew that they only meant well, but at this rate, it was as if she was only being pitied, and she didn't want that. "I'll just sleep in the couch! Please!"

The man looked like that he was going to insist at first, but as he looked at her, he finally let her.

"Alright. But are you sure that you're going to be okay in here?"

"Yes. Thank you, Kyousuke-san." The man smiled and ruffled her hair again before going out of the room. "I'll be gone for a while; I'll just get you a couple of pillows and blankets later so you'll be more comfortable."

The clock in the corner struck twelve, and Shoukatsu was finally finished with all her course works. She packed up her books, arranging them carefully in her bag and stood up, stretching a bit. Twelve wasn't a late hour for her; God knows how many times she pulled off all-nighters just to finish her requirements. But nevertheless, she was glad for the extra time to rest.

"Done?" And, as if also knowing this, Kyousuke-san came back into the room, his hair done back in a higher ponytail, carrying a blanket and several pillows, which he set down on the couch. "Do you usually stay up this late, Shoukatsu-chan?" The man asked, concern starting to trickle in his tone.

The teen shook her head. "I stay up later than this sometimes, Kyousuke-san. But it's fine. I'm used to it." "Hmn. But then, if you can have more time for resting, be sure to take it, okay?" Kyousuke-san said as he fluff up the pillows and unfold the blanket, to drape it on the couch.

"Hai, Kyousuke-san~ Arigatou!"

"Is there anything else you need, Shoukatsu-chan?" He asked, lips twitching up when he saw the girl try to stifle a yawn with her hand.

"Huh? Ah, no! This is all right!" Shoukatsu stopped mid yawn to shake her hand, a sincere smile on her lips as she looked up to the other. "Really, Kyousuke-san. I'll be all right." The unspoken words of gratitude were there, as well as assurance that she was okay. Yes. She was really all right now, better, actually.

Kyousuke-san stared at her for a while, gauging her expression, and a soft smile bloomed on his face as well. "All right, I'll hold you on to that, Shoukatsu-chan." He ruffled the long black hair again, fingers weaving through the soft strands. The man soon released her and nudged her on the direction of the couch. "Go to sleep, all right? You still have classes tomorrow."

"Hai, Kyousuke-san~" The teen replied obediently, diving into the covers, burying her face onto the pillow and found that its scent was the same as with the clothes she was wearing and she happily inhaled it, letting the scent calm her down considerably. "Thank you." she mumbled, unaware of the fact that the man tucked her in and was combing her hair like she was a young child, but she liked it, and didn't want to stop the pleasant action.

"You're very welcome." Kyousuke-san stood up, watching the teen settle more comfortably under the covers. "Shall I leave the lights on or off?"

"Off, please." That's strange; her eyelids were starting to get heavy. "I'm sleepy…" Shoukatsu yawned again, slowly being pulled into a comfortable lull.

"Of course you are." The man stifled the chuckle on his lips, reminding himself to be quiet and stood on the doorway, a hand on the switch beside the frame. "Oyasumi, Shoukatsu-chan." He said gently.

"… Oyasumi…" She murmured, burrowing more into the couch, but not before almost adding to herself, already half-unconscious. "And Kyousuke-san…"

The man paused in turning off the living room lights, looking at the dark head that peeked in-between the white sheets. "Yes?"

"… It's Keisuke." And without another word, the teen fell asleep, fingers curling on the pillow as her breaths evened out and deepened. Kyousuke took a while to look at the sleeping teen, a soft, affectionate smile on his face.

"Roku? Watch over her for me, okay?" he whispered to the cat.

Roku then get up and went to curl with Keisuke on the sofa, moving carefully as to not disturb the child.

'They sure look cute together like that.' He pressed down on the switch, instantly cutting off the lights, and stayed there in the doorway for quite some time before leaving and going up the stairs.

"Good night, Roku, Keisuke."

"She's asleep?" Dai-chan asked the moment his spouse entered their bedroom, the other man throwing his handkerchief in the direction of the hamper. But the hamper was, surprisingly, empty, and the ebony-haired man sent an amused, questioning look towards his husband, who had buried his face in his book again once he felt the other's stare.

"It was getting full," the man said defensively, not lifting his head once when the silence became prolonged, and Kyousuke really did laugh out loud this time.

"You're a terrible liar, Dai-chan." He thought it fit to inform the other man, who only grumbled his reply. Quickly he changed into his nightclothes, sliding beside him on their bed and kissing him on the cheek. "But still, thank you for being so thoughtful. I'll iron it tomorrow as soon as possible."

The professor kissed his cheeks in return, smiling as he closed his hardbound book and looked at the other through square, black-framed glasses, silently asking for an answer to his question.

"… Yes, she's sleeping now." Kyousuke sighed back, resting his head on his husband's shoulder. "Dai-chan, how did you know? That poor child… it must be terrible for Keisuke to hear her parents fight every day." He murmured, a hand going under to hug his husband's arm, tone clearly sad and distressed for the younger teen.

The professor was a little surprised to hear his student's first name on his spouse's lips, but didn't show it. "I hear rumors every now and then. I didn't think that it was true at first, but I overheard stories from her friends that she stays over with one of them for a night when the fights got too serious. They aren't a very rich family, and the reason why Shoukatsu is studying in the University was because of a scholarship that covered her semestral expenses, excluding supplies and miscellaneous fees." The professor continued after a lengthy, thoughtful pause. "But she was always a quiet girl, even in my classes."

Kyousuke made a startled gasp when the thought slowly sunk in. "She… she was so insistent that she would take the couch, even though I offered her to sleep in Zaiki's room for the night." And his thoughts slowly turned horrified, remembering a part of his and the teen's conversation earlier ago, the tear-streaked face, the choked words… "She said that you saved her from sleeping on a bench tonight." His eyes widened in realization, heart breaking for the young girl sleeping soundly below them. "So when you met her…!"

"Yes. I suspected as much." Dai-chan said quietly, putting his hands on Kyousuke's arms. "I saw her enter the University this late afternoon. If it hadn't rained later on, I was sure that she would've been sleeping on the school bench right now."

"… Oh my god." Kyousuke felt deeply distraught, now more thankful than ever that his husband had brought the younger teen with him. "Thank you, Dai-chan. If you hadn't found her…!" 'He feared greatly for Keisuke's safety. How many times had the teen done this? It was dangerous for someone to be alone so late at night and Keisuke's was just a teenager and a girl to boot! What if she had been attacked or molested while she was sleeping outside!?'

"It's all right, love." Sensing his spouse's distress, Dai-chan slid his hand to entangle their fingers together, his thumb rubbing against the soft skin for comfort then lightly kissing him on his lips. "She's fine now."

"Demo… it's just so sad." Kyousuke murmured, closing his eyes, feeling the exhaustion of the day catch up to him. "She's such a smart girl. To have a family like that… if it was Zaiki, I wouldn't know what to think…"

"Kyou~" After a moment of worrying, Kyousuke finally relaxed, and with that, Dai-chan visibly smiled then turning his head, he pressed another kiss on the ebony hair. "Kyousuke, don't worry so much. It isn't like you. You know what? Even Zaiki gets nervous when you become like this." The mention of their so-called son had the other man smiling, cuddling more to his husband's side. "Hontou? I have to stop worrying then, if I'm worrying the two of you." He raised his head up, detangling his hand from the other and placing them on the Dai-chan's face, slowly slipping off the eyeglasses on his husband's face, the other's eyes closing when he felt the glasses leaving its perch on his nose.

"You look older when you wear these." Kyousuke whispered, voice taking on a tone that the other man knew too well, low, husky, with an undertone of intent that had the taller man shuddering, brown eyes darkening as he realized what his spouse wanted.

"I have no choice, I need them to read." Slowly, carefully, the professor maneuvered them both, sinking the other man down on the bed and hovering over him, waiting until his spouse had placed his glasses on the bedside table before turning back to him.

"You're turning to an ojiisan now, Dai-chan." Kyousuke teased him lightly, hands going up to link themselves behind a strong neck, pulling down, and was pleased to find that the man went along with him, leaning down and pressing their foreheads together, breaths mingling, waiting.

"Am I?" Dai-chan's lips ghosted over his skin, turning to the side, teasing, finding his ear and nipping at it sharply, almost smirking at the startled gasp his spouse made. "Ah!" "Don't be too loud, baby. Our walls are thin and my student is downstairs." He reminded huskily, lips whispering against the shell of his ear, large hands on the slim waist, rubbing on the thin strip of skin he could feel.

"Is that a challenge?" The ebony-haired man smiled mischievously, capturing his husband's mouth in a passion-filled kiss, pulling away just a fraction and whispering, lips just brushing against each other.

"Do your worst, Daisuke."

And the history professor was willing to do just that.

Shoukatsu Keisuke didn't remember another time wherein she slept so soundly. The sunlight that shone through her eyelids and a movement of a furry thing, gently waking her into consciousness, and she opened her blurry brown eyes, for a moment disoriented on where she was. A meow sounded from her companion then the memories of last night came rushing in and she blinked, sitting up and running a hand through her lightly tousled hair. She had to curl her legs slightly, but the couch was very comfortable, and she quickly fixed the bedding after Roku jump down lazily, obviously not happy from being disturb, folding the blanket and setting the pillows right.

"I'm sorry Roku. But we have to get up now. Come on!" she called to the cat before going to the dining room, where most of the sounds were coming from.

"Ohayou, Keisuke~! And Roku, you're early!" "Meow~~~" It was Kyousuke-san who greeted them first, wearing pink long-sleeves, looking cheerful as he set the dining table.

"Dai-chan's cooking today, so take a seat, breakfast is almost done." He said briskly, ushering the teen inside and sitting him down on the table. Shoukatsu looked to the kitchen, and there he is, her professor in an apron, stirring the pan with a pair of chopsticks, looking so out of place with the coat and tie he wore to work, but nonetheless, still manage to look handsome.

"Good morning, Kyousuke-san. Ohayou, sensei." she blinked, trying to get the image of the professor cooking out of her mind, concentrating instead on the hot chocolate the ebony-haired man poured out for her. She took a sip, feeling marginally more awake, now more aware of her bedraggled state and blushed, seeing the properly dressed couple in front of her. 'Oh, right, I still haven't thanked professor yet. "Anou… thank you for letting me stay the night here, Watanabe-sensei."

"You're welcome Shoukatsu-chan! Good morning to both of you too!" The man smiled as he appeared, serving bowls in his hand to set it on the table. "Eat well, okay? No need to be so shy."

"Hai, arigatou, sensei."

"Good! Kyousuke, what time does Zaiki's flight come in?" The professor sat down as well, and they all started to eat, the student silent as she watched the conversation flow between the two of them, not really feeling the need to participate in it.

"Hmn, it's 11:30 later, in Narita Airport." The ebony-haired man smiled and suddenly winced, waving away the sudden rush of questions from his spouse, asking if he was all right, much to the teen's confusion. "Don't worry, Dai, I'm just fine, perfect, actually." He smiled sweetly, a twinkle in his chocolate-brown eyes that had both professor and student blushing darkly, though the latter didn't know why she was doing such.

"Keisuke," the man called out to her, "your clothes are already cleaned and pressed. I've hanged it out for you in the bathroom so you could change after you shower."

"Ah! Thanks a lot!" She smiled to the kind, handsome man. Kyousuke-san cheerfully talked to her more while her professor fondly looked over them, and finishing her meal, she stand up to have a quick bath.

She almost regretted taking off the clothes Kyousuke-san lent her, it was just so comfortable to wear. She sighed as she folded the clothes properly, stepping into the stall for a quick bath, and changed back into her old clothes. Her hair was still damp when she got out, cringing a bit at her long hair, which was made the back of her shirt wet. She combed her hair, slinging her bag over her shoulder and stepped out into the hallway to see her professor and his spouse by the front door.

"There she is." Watanabe-sensei said when he saw the student approached then kissed his spouse on the forehead, buttoning the front of his coat. "We'll be going then, love. Let's go, Shoukatsu-chan!" He called out to the other teen, who was still trying to get her hair properly fixed.

"Ah, y-yes!" She really didn't expect that she would also be accompanying the older man to the University as well, and the teen quickly ran towards the front door, still trying to manage her hair. Why she kept it long, she had absolutely no idea.

Kyousuke-san sighed, signaling for the young girl to approach him. "Come here, Keisuke." She obediently did, and was surprised when the older man turned her around and gathered her hair, plucking the comb she was using and giving her hair long, quick strokes, compressing it and held it. He undid the tie to his long hair, using it to swiftly and efficiently tie a simple knot to keep the raven-colored hair together. "There, now you look better." The ebony-haired man said satisfactorily, his now unbound hair flowing down to his shoulders, giving him a more effeminate appearance. In fact, if not for the snugly fit clothes he wore, someone would've thought that he was a woman at first. "I expect you to return my hair tie, all right?" He smiled, pulling the long black hair teasingly before stepping back. "Now, quickly, before you two become late for class."

Keisuke touched her now tied up hair and blushed, stuttering her thanks. "Y-Yes Kyousuke-san, thank you very much. I'll make sure to return it to you. Bye Kyousuke-san, Roku-chi!" She petted the cat then bowed deeply to the other man, who waved back at them from the doorstep as the two of them exited the house and went to the garage where the car was parked.

"Be careful you two! I love you!" The man called out to the two of them as she clambered over to the passenger seat, the professor following not before saying his 'I love you too!' and blowing the other a kiss which made the other blush, chuckling to himself. Shoukatsu watched as the house became smaller the further they got away, and then vanished completely.

The two of them stayed in a relaxed silence, with Shoukatsu humming along when a popular song started to play on the radio, surprised when her professor started to sing a long, making her discover how beautiful his voice is. She felt happier than what she felt in months because of the kindness that has been showered upon her. Being with her professor and his loving husband inspired her to go on and to continue pursuing her dreams. She rested her head against the headrest, content in just watching the streets wake up to face another day, the sun warm on her face.

"We're here." She was so out of it that she didn't even realize that they're already in the University grounds. She blink, looking up at her professor's smiling face. "Come! Let's go inside now so we won't be late." Taking off her seatbelt, she exited the car through the door that her professor gentlemanly opened for her.

Unable to say a word, the student just stood there, playing with the strap of her bag. Shoukatsu was beyond grateful for and to her professor and his spouse, but now that she had the chance to thank him, she found that the words wouldn't come out. She just looked down and stared at her shoes, mumbling out an unintelligible sentence that severely undermined her intentions.

The man was quiet for a while, making her think that perhaps her professor had gone to the teacher's lounge already. But the sudden hand on her head had her looking up. Watanabe-sensei is smiling at her, and found herself blushing a little, inexplicably finding the man more handsome than always at that moment.

"You're always welcome in our house. I think Kyou and Roku have taken a liking to you. Smile Shoukatsu-chan. It suites you better." Watanabe-sensei nodded and released her, leaving her gaping there. To have her professor's spouse invite her back was one thing, but to also hear her professor say the same thing… The teen nodded, smiling through her sudden tears, quickly wiping them away before they fell.

"Just don't mention something to your classmates. I don't need a bigger headache than what they're usually giving me." It was said so seriously that Shoukatsu had to laugh, quickly stifling her chuckles, as she nodded her understanding.

"Now go to your first class. You're going to be late." Another pat, and the professor turned around, already walking inside the building. Shoukatsu watched him walk away, suddenly feeling a sudden spike of awe, gratitude and respect for the man.

She bowed low, as deep as she could, keeping her arms straight and by her sides, as she closed her eyes and shouted, loud enough for people who were still a bit away to hear.

"Thank you very much, Watanabe-sensei!"

She couldn't see the older man's reaction, but she could imagine him smiling and raising a hand without looking back, as if acknowledging her thanks.

All day Shoukatsu was busy with classes, and when the time came for her History class that late afternoon she entered the classroom, seeing a few of her classmates already there, as well as Watanabe-sensei, who was erasing the whiteboard, removing all of the notes from the previous class. Knowing that the class wouldn't start for another ten minutes for so, she searched for her usual seat in the back, near the aisle, where she knew she wouldn't be disturbed. She sighed as she sat down on the chair, placing her bag to her side, placing her chin on top of her folded hands.

She's currently thinking of her parents when… "Um, excuse me, but is the seat beside you taken?"

It took a moment for the voice to register in her mind, but when it did she sat straighter and looked up, looking to the side and opening her mouth to reply.

And whatever answer she wanted to give the other person instantly died at her throat.

He was… tall. Very much so. His hair was brown, somewhat long, with bright brown eyes that looked eerily familiar as she stared back into them. In fact, he looked vaguely familiar overall, but Shoukatsu can't place on where she had seen this person before. She would recognize a person with that handsome face anywhere, Shoukatsu randomly thought and instantly blushed, cheeks tinged pink as she tried to wave away her errant ideas. She hadn't even realized that the other teen was also staring at her, mouth agape, looking at her as if he had just seen heaven for the first time.

"Tenshi." The other teen blurted out, and instantly turned into a bright shade of red. "A-Ah, I mean–!" He waved his arms, trying to explain himself, and Shoukatsu gave a start, not knowing if the other was actually telling her that she looks like an angel. Either way, it turned her face a shade deeper, feeling flattered and embarrassed at the same time.

"Watanabe Zaiki!" A voice suddenly shouted below, and the spell was instantly broken. The brown-haired teen jumped a foot and immediately stepped back, looking down to see the professor looking at them and giving the other an unimpressed look. The young man gave a sheepish smile back.

"Ojii–I mean, Watanabe-sensei!" The teen corrected himself hastily and suddenly all the pieces clicked in her head. Shoukatsu gaped silently at the other teen, finally knowing who he was. He was in the living room photographs, with her professor and his spouse, laughing, celebrating with them. Watanabe Zaiki... Watanabe-sensei's and Kyousuke-san's… child.

"What are you doing here, Zaiki?" The man was asking, raising a questioning eyebrow. He was holding an opened book in his hands, spectacles on, presumably just starting the lecture. "You're not supposed to be in class until tomorrow."

"Well, I just got in a few hours ago from my flight and I didn't have anything to do." he answered with a good-natured smile. "I wasn't that jetlagged, so I figured that I would go to class instead of doing nothing at home."

"Very well. Just don't you dare bother Shoukatsu-chan, there." Watanabe-sensei gave a long sigh and shook his head, gesturing to the class, whose eyes were solely fixed in their direction. The moment it registered Shoukatsu wanted nothing more to melt in her seat, uncomfortable with the many stares directed at her, even if it wasn't completely direct.

"Introduce yourself to the class later and sit down. If you have the time to flirt with a classmate then I expect you to catch up with the rest on their lesson." The history professor smirked at them and the rest of the class broke out in giggles in snickers. Flame-faced now, Zaiki turned back to the other teen, who was as red as he was.

"Y-Yes, sensei." He shyly looked at Shoukatsu, who moved to leave a space for him to sit down. The brown-haired teen slid in with her and for a moment there was nothing but the most awkward of silences. Then Zaiki coughed and sighed, offering her a small smile that made her feel as if there were butterflies in her stomach.

"Sorry about that. Anyway. I'll just introduce myself again. I'm Watanabe Zaiki." He raised his hand and hesitantly Shoukatsu took it, finding the other's hand larger and warmer compared to her own. "Third year, Literature major." He smiled, and Shoukatsu's heart stuttered in her chest.

"Shoukatsu Keisuke, third year. Major in English… Anou…if you don't mind me asking a question, why weren't you here during the first day? A month already passed from the first day of this semester."

"I was in an exchange student program during break and it extended because the foreign professors found some potential in me, or so they said." Now the other teen looked away self-consciously, a hand going to rub the back of his neck. Looking at a different angle he looked more like the history professor, and Shoukatsu had a hard time imaging the respected man act like his child, though now it suited the other teen perfectly. "Ah, I didn't mean to brag or anything!" He added hastily, looking perfectly awkward, and it made Shoukatsu smile slightly, hiding a chuckle behind her hand. Watanabe Zaiki is… really cute. She could suddenly smell the scent of sweet chocolates, and tried not to blush again when she realized that the Zaiki hadn't let go of her hand yet, looking at her with such interest that it made her feel bashful.

And as she talked more to the interesting teen, finally agreeing when Zaiki suddenly asked her out for a cup of milk-chocolate later on (for she couldn't find it in herself to refuse), Shoukatsu thought she saw the history professor smile at them before returning back to his lecture.

A/N: I thought I'll never finish this! But finally I did! By the way, Zaiki is the new Tezuka in Tennimu. He really did looked like Dai-niichan in one of his first pictures~ Though his face gradually changed as he matures :3  
Thank you very much for reading! I hope you've enjoyed yourself.  
I know that I'm still not that good but I promise to improve myself!  
Comments are very much welcomed :) ~Shoukatsu Keisuke.


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